Page 98 - What the Qur'an Says about Liars and Their Methods

HOW SOME ISLAMIC

SCHOLARS VIEW LYING

Al- Ghazali: "Lying is the mother of all great sins. If a per-
son is known as a liar, no trust in his words remains, he loses
prestige, and his opinions become worthless. If you want to
understand the ugliness of lying, look at the ugliness of the lies
of others and see the extent to which your soul feels hatred.
Note how much the liar is held in contempt and how ugly you
will find the lie that is told..." 41

Al-Munawi: "The ugliness of lying is the cause of bring-
ing about all other forms of ugliness. With the abandonment of
lying, ugliness is abandoned too." 42

Bediuzzaman Said Nursi: "... Honesty is the real, solid
foundation of the Islamic religion, the tie that binds people of
superior morality together and the most exalted state of mind.
This is so true that we have to encourage truth and honesty, the
basis of community life, inside ourselves and use it to treat our
spiritual ills.
Yes, truth and honesty are the vital forces of Islamic com-
munal life. Hypocrisy is actually a form of lying. Sycophancy
and pretence are abject lying. Causing discord and hypocrisy
are damaging forms of lying. Lying means to slander the om-
nipotence of Allah, the Creator. Disbelief is deception about

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